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"The Tomorrow City" is a well written story about what might happen if a super computer was to be set to manage an entire city.

The book was written in 1978, but it has held up remarkably well. Oh, sure a few of the items are dated, like the computer using phone lines and such, but aside from that the plot, ideas, and concepts are still applicable.

What are the parameters of a conscious computer?

What would an artificial intelligence think is important? (the book does not use the term artificial intelligence)

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This is a re-read for me but I didn't really remember the story, just that Monica Hughes was one of my favourite authors as a kid. For a 1970s science fiction story based on computers, this really holds up well! Set in the not too distant future, a girl's father invents a computer to run their city. The computer learns from itself and inevitably takes control of the city, brainwashing the citizens through TV and spying on them through cameras and light sockets, etc. The city becomes a dystopia with no tramps, low-income families, or old people through unethical means. Citizens become trained to obsessively comply with orders and keep the city clean and running smoothly and efficiently. Since the girl and her best friend, a boy, spend a lot of time way out in a clearing in a forest they miss being brainwashed by the TV and clue in on what has happened and plan to take the computer out. It's the type of story that has been done many times before and since this was written in 1978 but it is a well-paced and well-written tale. The author has not used any technology gimmicks making the story read surprisingly well today in the 21st century. The only outdated idea being that the computer takes up an entire floor of a highrise building. While not among my top favourite of Hughes' books, it is a fun old-school science fiction yarn and indicative of her style.

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I read a number of Monica Hughes' books back in 1999 because she is the favorite author of a friend. Though some were harder to find, I enjoyed all I could lay my hands on. Her books have been translated into dozens of languages.

This is an interesting little book about a society's attempt to make a perfect city - a city run by a computer, where the computer becomes the tyrant instead of man. The fight to save the city is lead by two friends, Caroline the computer designer's daughter and her friend David.

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The Tomorow City is one of Monica Hughes best books. This book is the best of two worlds. It has slightly 1984 story of a city controlled ("for the good of the people") by, instead of Big Brother, a supercomputer. It also has two compelling main cherecters, Caro and ____(it's been a while), kids who see their world losing all it's freedom and joy when everyone else dosn't seem to notice. 1984, Animal Farm and Brave New World offer a world that terifies and draws us in, The Tommorow City dose this without the hoplessness these other books have. (small spoiler ahead)Monica Hughes has written a personal and hopefull story where the good guys actually win.

The Tommorow City says "read me".

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I read a number of Monica Hughes' books back in 1999 because she is the favorite author of a friend. Though some were harder to find, I enjoyed all I could lay my hands on. Her books have been translated into dozens of languages.

This is an interesting little book about a society's attempt to make a perfect city - a city run by a computer, where the computer becomes the tyrant instead of man. The fight to save the city is lead by two friends, Caroline the computer designer's daughter and her friend David.

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A very exciting book it is!!!! Reader between the age of 10 to 12 might enjoy this book. The story is really in a scientific and imaginary way. Talking about a computer named C-3 who controls the city and became the boss. It is in great vocabulary and sentence structures which makes you feel as if you are the main character. Excellent book, I would really recommand you to read this!!!!

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